Bel Powley


Isobel Dorothy Powley is an English actress. The daughter of British actor Mark Powley, Powley was born and raised in London where she was educated at Holland Park School. She began acting as a teenager on television, starring on the CBBC action television series M.I. High, the period miniseries Little Dorrit, the crime series Murderland, and the ITV sitcom Benidorm. In 2015, she gained critical praise for her portrayal of Princess Margaret in A Royal Night Out, for which she was nominated for a British Independent Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer, and a sexually confused teenager in the coming-of-age film The Diary of a Teenage Girl, for which she won the Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Actress and the Trophee Chopard at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. She has since starred in the films Mary Shelley, White Boy Rick, Ashes in the Snow, and The King of Staten Island and on the Apple TV+ drama series The Morning Show.

Early life

Powley was born in the Hammersmith borough of London, England, to British actor Mark Powley and casting director Janis Jaffa. Her mother is Jewish, the descendant of emigrants from Russia to Dublin, Ireland. Powley attended Holland Park School, expressing a profound interest in History, which she particularly enjoyed.

Career

From 2007 until 2008, Powley was one of the lead characters in M.I. High, starring in 23 episodes. Powley has also appeared in several other productions such as Murderland, Little Dorrit, The Bill and The Whistleblowers. In 2013, Powley was joining the cast of the ITV series Benidorm for series six.
In 2015, Powley portrayed Princess Margaret in the biographical comedy-drama A Royal Night Out, alongside Sarah Gadon as Princess Elizabeth. Powley played the lead role of Minnie Goetze in the comedy-drama film The Diary of a Teenage Girl, which premiered in New York and Los Angeles on 7 August 2015. Shortly afterward, Powley starred as the titular character in the 2016 indie film Carrie Pilby, taking over the role from Hailee Steinfeld.
In 2018, Powley starred opposite Liv Tyler in the horror film Wildling, and appeared in the crime-drama film White Boy Rick. That same year, Powley played a lead role as Holly Morten in the BBC One drama Informer.

Stage

Powley appeared as Maggie in Tusk Tusk at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in March 2009. On Broadway, she was Thomasina in the 2011 revival of Arcadia at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. In October 2011, she once again appeared at the Royal Court as Tilly in Jumpy, a role to which she returned in the West End transfer of Jumpy to the Duke of York's Theatre in August 2012. She appeared as Dawn in the March 2018 revival of Lobby Hero at the Hayes Theatre, alongside Chris Evans, Michael Cera and Bryan Tyree Henry.

Personal life

In an interview in 2013, Powley said she had a spot reserved to study history at the University of Manchester.
In another interview in 2015, Powley also said she enjoyed Vegetarian and Vegan cuisine, stating that she was not strict to either diet but claiming she just liked it.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations

YearWorkAssociationAwardResult
2015A Royal Night OutHamptons International Film FestivalBreakthrough Performer
2015A Royal Night OutBritish Independent Film AwardsMost Promising Newcomer
2015The Diary of a Teenage GirlGotham Independent Film AwardsBest Actress
2015The Diary of a Teenage GirlNiagara Integrated Film FestivalNIFF Rising Star
2015The Diary of a Teenage GirlDetroit Film Critics SocietyBest Actress
2015The Diary of a Teenage GirlDetroit Film Critics SocietyBreakthrough Artist
2015The Diary of a Teenage GirlChicago Film Critics AssociationMost Promising Performer
2015The Diary of a Teenage GirlFlorida Film Critics CirclePauline Kael Breakout Award
2015The Diary of a Teenage GirlWomen's Image Network AwardsOutstanding Actress in a Feature Film
2015The Diary of a Teenage GirlWomen Film Critics CircleBest Young Actress
2015The Diary of a Teenage GirlVillage Voice Film PollBest Actress
2015The Diary of a Teenage GirlNew York Film Critics CircleBreakthrough Performance
2015The Diary of a Teenage GirlIndiewire Critics' PollBest Lead Actress
2015The Diary of a Teenage GirlKansas City Film Critics CircleBest Actress
2016The Diary of a Teenage GirlCannes Film FestivalTrophée Chopard - Female Revelation
2016The Diary of a Teenage GirlBritish Academy of Film and Television ArtsBAFTA Rising Star Award
2016The Diary of a Teenage GirlFilm Independent Spirit AwardsBest Female Lead
2016The Diary of a Teenage GirlEmpireBest Female Newcomer
2016The Diary of a Teenage GirlAlliance of Women Film JournalistsBest Breakthrough Performance
2016The Diary of a Teenage GirlChlotrudis AwardsBest Actress
2016The Diary of a Teenage GirlFEST International Film FestivalBest Actress